Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiori)
- Address: Piazza del Duomo, Florence
- Hours: Mon - Wed and Fri: 10am - 5pm, Sat: 10am - 4:45pm, Sun and religious holidays: 1:30pm - 4:45pm. Thurs and other holidays: hours vary seasonally. Dome hours vary
- Admission: Cathedral admission is Free, Dome admission is € 8
ATTRACTION Keywords:
Cultural Experience,
Religious Experience,
Church / Cathedral,
Monument - Historical
You'll catch glimpses of the red-tiled dome of the Duomo, or Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiori, peeping over the rooftops as soon as you arrive in Florence, but your first face-to-face encounter with its pink and green marble glory is hard to forget.
The 13th-century Sienese architect Arnolfo di Cambio was responsible for building many landmarks in Florence but this is his showstopper. The beautiful ribbed dome was creatively added by Brunelleschi in the 1420s.
The building took 170 years to complete, and the facade was remodeled to reflect Cambio’s design in the 19th century.
Inside the Duomo, your eyes are inevitably drawn upwards to that soaring painted dome and lovely stained-glass windows by such masters as Donatello. Visit the crypt, where Brunelleschi's tomb lies, or to the top of the enormous dome itself for stupendous views over Florence.
Latest Reviews
Review by Erik B, January 2013
Doing what: Skip The Line: Best of Florence Walking Tour including Accademia Gallery and Duomo
This tour was excellent. Our tour guide, Angela, was helpful and extremely knowledgable about the area and we were able to see the Duomo, The David, the Galleria Academia, the Medici Palazzo, and much more. Meeting our guide was very simple and easy. Highly Recommended.
Review by Darlene R, July 2012
Doing what: Skip The Line: Best of Florence Walking Tour including Accademia Gallery and Duomo
Our tour guide was fantastic. She told a story of Florence, not just reciting facts. She painted a beautiful picture of days gone by. You can tell she loves her city. I unfortunately thought the tour included going up to the top of the Duomo to overlook the city. That was an extra fee and you had to stand in line to do this. Otherwise, excellent.
Review by Jacki M, May 2012
Doing what: Skip The Line: Best of Florence Walking Tour including Accademia Gallery and Duomo
Fantastic tour - highly recommend! Gave a good insight into the history of this amazing city, and took in many of the major sites with lots of fascinating info. Patrizia was the perfect guide - her passion for Florence is infectious! Obviously, skipping the line for the Duomo and Galleria dell'Accademia is brilliant. I did this walking tour on my first morning in Florence, it was the perfect start, gave me a feel for the city and really set the scene for me getting the most out of my 3-day visit. I feel in love with Florence and I think this tour paved the way for an excellent visit!
Practical Info
The Duomo is in the heart of central Florence, a short walk east from the train station.
